Battery charger amusement device

ABSTRACT

A battery charger amusement has a receptacle adapted to receive a rechargeable battery and an electronic circuit communicating information stored within the device that is independent of charge status. The battery charger can include a motion actuator so as to move during the battery recharge process or includes a synthesizer so as to utter spoken utterances that are independent of charge status during the process. The device is intended to encourage the use of rechargeable batteries over a disposable counterpart.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery charger device activated by the insertion of a battery to provide educational or entertainment routines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The societal cost of disposable batteries will be felt for generations to come as leachants find their way into soil and ground water. While recent advances in dry cell technology have reduced the toxicity of corroding disposable batteries, the sheer quantity of discarded batteries represents a significant burden on landfills. Annual domestic consumption of disposable batteries exceeds 1.9 billion cells. In most instances, disposable batteries cost a consumer more over time than does a rechargeable battery, yet disposable batteries remain popular owing to the inconvenience of battery charging. Thus, there exists a need for a battery charger device that provides communication with the user other than battery charge status so as to encourage the battery charge. It is intended that with the usage of the present invention, chargeable batteries displace evermore disposable cells.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] A battery charger amusement device includes a battery charger having a receptacle adapted to receive a rechargeable battery and an electronic circuit communicating information stored within the device. The information that is communicated is independent of the battery charge status. Alternatively, the electronic circuit communicates spoken utterances independent of charge status.

[0004] A battery charger amusement device in addition to a battery charger and an electronic circuit includes a motion actuator, the motion actuator operating while a rechargeable battery is within the receptacle.

[0005] A battery charger amusement device is also contemplated including a user input interface coupled to an electronic circuit and a memory coupled to the interface and electronic circuit. The resulting device has a high degree of interactivity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery charger amusement device according to the present invention; and

[0007]FIG. 2 is a flowchart depicting a use process for the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0008] The present invention is intended to add amusement value to the task of battery charging. Upon a rechargeable battery being coupled to an inventive device, an electronic circuit is activated that communicates information independent of charge status to a user. The form and content of the information so supplied is not critical. The housing for the inventive device can take on any shape and color and be modeled into any number of humanoid, animal, vehicle, imaginary or natural forms. Similarly, the housing texture and materials of construction are not critical limitations.

[0009] Referring now to FIG. 1, a battery charger amusement device according to the present invention is shown generally at 10. The device includes a conventional battery charger 12 including a receptacle 14 adapted to receive at least one rechargeable battery B. The insertion of a battery B into the receptacle 14 (shown in ghost) or a manual action activates a mechanical or electrical switch 16 which in turn initiates an electronic circuit 18 to begin the communication of information independent of charge status. It is appreciated that any number of conventional battery chargers is operative herein upon modification to include a switch 16. Representative of the battery chargers operative herewith are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,409. Typical of a conventional battery charger, is a graphical icon 19 or LED 19′ indicative of the charge status of a battery B. It is appreciated that the size and type of battery B is not critical to the present invention. For example, nickel-cadmium, metal hydride, acid, and polymeric batteries are operative herein. Operative battery sized illustratively include 24 volt, 12 volt, 9 volt, AAA, AA, B, C, and D sized cells. Power sources to drive the battery charger 12 and the electronic circuit 18 include line power, a direct current generator, a dynamo and solar cell. It is appreciated that a transformer or adaptor 20 is often required based on the power characteristics of the source P. Optionally, an inventive battery charger 12 further includes an alternating current (AC) coupler as the transformer or adaptor 20.

[0010] The electronic circuit 18 in simplest form integrates a light source, laser diode or other electronic component so as to communicate sound or light information stored within the device on an integrated circuit or on a replaceable memory storage device to a user upon insertion of a battery B. The inventive device communicates information upon insertion of a rechargeable battery or through any activation switch being engaged. In alternate embodiments, the device communicates information in the form of spoken utterances or motion. Optionally, electronic circuit 18 is coupled to an information communicating component illustratively including an electric motor, a light source, a video display, a sound synthesizer, or combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the electronic circuit 18 includes a microprocessor (not shown) to facilitate more sophisticated communication. In a still more preferred embodiment, a microprocessor is coupled to a memory or data reading device, illustratively including a DRAM chip, CD player, DVD, hard drive, floppy disk drive, and cassette player, and combinations thereof. In still another preferred embodiment, the electronic circuit 18 is coupled to a user input interface 26. A user input interface 26 provides for an interactive question and answer format between a user and the inventive device or, data entry or icon manipulation as part of a gaming system.

[0011] The inventive device preferably includes a housing 28. Preferably, the housing is configured to have the appearance of a person, robot, animated character, animal, a vehicle or an object found in nature such as a mountain, tree, or a diorama. The housing 28 is really constructed from a variety of durable materials consistent with proximity to electronic circuitry and a battery charger. These housing materials illustratively include plastics, polymeric resins, textile plush, metal, and recycled forms thereof. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the housing 28 is configured in the form of a robot having moveable jointed appendages 29, LEDs 30, a sound synthesizer (not shown), and a video display 31 of which are activated engaging a switch 33 or upon insertion of a battery B therein. Optionally, the device of FIG. 1 further includes an information memory or reader device (not shown) for the uploading of information content and programs, as well as a user input keypad illustratively including a compact disk (CD) player, DVD, floppy disk drive, ZIP disk drive and the like. The embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 preferably also includes a microprocessor (not shown) operating to drive the information communicating functions. It is appreciated that somewhere all of these information communicating components can be incorporated into a different form of housing illustratively including a drive-in movie theater, racing pit-stop, or service station where the spent battery B is loaded into a receptacle incorporated into a model car or other portion of the housing.

[0012] It is appreciated that in addition to the entertainment or education information content provided by the inventive device, in a preferred embodiment, information regarding the battery charge status is also provided as per a conventional battery charger. As is conventional to battery chargers, a battery B is monitored as to voltage and current during the charging process.

[0013] Referring now to FIG. 2, the operation of an inventive battery charger amusement device coupled to a power source is initiated by placing a rechargeable battery into a battery rechargeable receptacle 30 for a charging duration or by a user activation switch 33. The contact of the rechargeable battery B with the battery charger or the activation switch 33 initiates an electronic circuit 32 optionally receiving content or executable programs from a memory device or reader 34. The electronic circuit then begins to communicate information to a user independent of the battery charge status 36. The information being in the form of spoken utterances, music, light or movement. Preferably, battery charge status information is also provided 38. Battery charge status as used herein is defined to include contact with battery charger terminals, ability of battery to accept a charge, and the dynamic current and voltage status of the battery. User inputs 40 are prompted by the inventive device and knowledge for coordination-based interactive game formats.

[0014] All references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference was individually and specifically incorporated by reference. These references are indicative of the levels of skill in the art at the time of invention.

[0015] A particular embodiment of the invention have been detailed herein, it is appreciated the changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The embodiments described herein are considered exemplary and not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A battery charger amusement device comprising: a battery charger having a receptacle adapted to receive a rechargeable battery, the battery having a charge status; and an electronic circuit communicating information independent of charge status.
 2. The device of claim 1 further comprising an AC coupler.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the battery is selected from a group consisting of: AAA, AA, B, C, D and 9 volt.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein said electronic circuit further comprises a microprocessor.
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein the information is of a type selected from the group consisting of language, text, music, light, movement and video.
 6. The device of claim 1 further comprising a housing.
 7. The device of claim 6 wherein said housing is configured in a form selected from the group consisting of humanoid, animate, vehicular and natural.
 8. The device of claim 6 further comprising a movable portion.
 9. The housing of claim 6 further comprising a light.
 10. The device of claim 6 further comprising a video display.
 11. The device of claim 6 further comprising a synthesizer.
 12. The device of claim 1 further comprising a user input interface to said electronic circuit.
 13. The device of claim 1 further comprising a memory coupled to said electronic circuit.
 14. The device of claim 1 further comprising an activator switch coupled to said circuit.
 15. The device of claim 1 further comprising a second electronic circuit that monitors the battery charge status.
 16. A battery charger amusement device comprising: a battery charger having a receptacle adapted to receive a rechargeable battery, the battery having a charge status; an electronic circuit activated by the rechargeable battery being inserted into the receptacle, said electronic circuit communicating information independent of charge status; a user input interface coupled to said electronic circuit; and a memory coupled to said interface and said electronic circuit.
 17. The device of claim 16 wherein said interface is configured to represent a user interactive game.
 18. A process for charging a battery comprising the steps of: placing a rechargeable battery into a device according to claim 1 for a charging duration; receiving information from said device during the charging duration independent of charge status of the battery; and removing the battery from said device after the charging duration.
 19. A battery charger amusement device comprising: a battery charger having a receptacle adapted to receive a rechargeable battery, the battery having a charge status; and an electronic circuit communicating spoken utterances that are independent of charge status.
 20. The device of claim 19 further comprising an activator switch coupled to said circuit.
 21. The device of claim 19 further comprising a memory coupled to said electronic circuit.
 22. The device of claim 19 further comprising an AC coupler.
 23. The device of claim 19 wherein the battery is selected from a group consisting of: AAA, AA, B, C, D and 9 volt.
 24. The device of claim 19 further comprising a housing.
 25. The device of claim 24 wherein said housing is configured in a form selected from the group consisting of humanoid, animate, vehicular and natural.
 26. The housing of claim 24 further comprising a light.
 27. The device of claim 19 further comprising an activator switch coupled to said circuit.
 28. The device of claim 19 further comprising a second electronic circuit that monitors the battery charge status.
 29. A battery charger amusement device comprising: a battery charger having a receptacle adapted to receive a rechargeable battery, the battery having a charge status; and an electronic circuit coupled to a motion actuator and said charger, said motion actuator operating while the battery is within the receptacle.
 30. The device of claim 29 further comprising an AC coupler.
 31. The device of claim 29 wherein the battery is selected from a group consisting of: AAA, AA, B, C, D and 9 volt.
 32. The device of claim 29 wherein said electronic circuit further comprises a microprocessor.
 33. The device of claim 29 further comprising a housing.
 34. The device of claim 33 wherein said housing is configured in a form selected from the group consisting of humanoid, animate, vehicular and natural.
 35. The device of claim 33 further comprising a video display.
 36. The device of claim 33 further comprising a synthesizer.
 37. The device of claim 29 further comprising a user input interface to said electronic circuit.
 38. The device of claim 29 further comprising a memory coupled to said electronic circuit.
 39. The device of claim 29 further comprising an activator switch coupled to said circuit. 